Anna d'Este
Encyclopedia
Anna d'Este, also Anne d’Este (16 November 1531, Ferrara
– 17 May 1607, Paris
) was an important princess with considerable influence at the court of France and a central figure in the French Wars of Religion
. In her first marriage she was Duchess of Aumale, then of Guise
, in her second marriage Duchess of Nemours
and Genevois
.
and of Renée of France
. She grew up in Ferrara, where she received an excellent education. She also studied music, singing, dance, history and painting. The future writer and scholar Olympia Fulvia Morata
was chosen as one of her companions at court.
In 1548, after long and difficult negotiations, her marriage was arranged with the French prince Francis
, Duke of Aumale, son of the Duke of Guise. The contract was signed in Ferrara on 28 September and the marriage was held in Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris on 16 December. The princess was never to return to Italy.
Anna d'Este was the granddaughter of the French king Louis XII
and therefore related to Henry II
and his sons. By her marriage she had become a member of the powerful Guise family, and because of her Italian roots she had especially close ties to the queen and later queen-mother, Catherine de' Medici
.
For these reasons, her position at court was outstanding. Duchess of Guise after the death of her father-in-law in 1550, she governed the family estates and the enormous fortunes of the Guise with the help of her mother-in-law, Antoinette de Bourbon
. She was also active on behalf of her father and acted as mediator between the courts of France and of Ferrara. She gave birth to seven children, four of which reached adulthood.
In February 1563 Francis, Duke of Guise
was assassinated. While the murderer was seized and immediately put to death, Anna d'Este took all possible steps to sue the leader of the French Huguenots, Gaspard de Coligny
, whom she held responsible for the assault.
During the next three years, the widow put pressure on the king and his courts of justice with her petitions, but in January 1566 the king's council declared the admiral of Coligny innocent and imposed eternal silence in the matter. Consequently, most of her contemporaries held the widow of the Duke of Guise responsible for the shot which was fired on Coligny on 22 August 1572 and which became the starting signal for the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
.
On 29 April 1566, Anna d'Este married Jacques de Savoie
, Duke of Nemours and Genevois. Henceforth, the princess spent most of her time in Annecy
or on the road between her duchy of Genevois
and the court of France. In politically difficult situations she acted as mediator between her husband and the Duke of Savoy
, and in the meantime she held her position at the court of France. Anna d'Este also promoted her sons' careers, she helped her clients to make their living, and she claimed a prominent place in official ceremonies at court.
After the death of her second husband in 1585 Anna d'Este lived in Paris, in her Hôtel
de Nemours, which was located on the left bank of the Seine in what is today Rue Séguier. With the formation of the Catholic League
, in which her sons played a prominent part, the importance of the Duchess for the political occurrences in the kingdom of France increased considerably.
In December 1588 Henry III
ordered the murder of her two oldest sons and the imprisonment of Anna d'Este. Although the sources tell us nothing about the deeds of the Duchess after her liberation, some contemporaries held her responsible for the assassination of the king. During the siege of Paris by Henry IV
, Anna d'Este was declared "queen-mother" by the League, but after the Bourbon's conversion back to Catholicism she recognized him as king and tried to convince her rebellious sons to take the same step. In 1594 Anna travelled to Paris to pay homage to Henry IV.
Anna d'Este spent her last years in the highly respectable position of "superintendante de la maison" of the queen Marie de' Medici
but also in growing indebtedness and in constant worry about the financial situation of her children and grandchildren.
When she died on 17 May 1607, the value of her movable goods came to little more than 4000 livre
s. The entrails and the heart of the Duchess were interred in Paris and in Joinville while her body was brought to Annecy, where it was buried next to her second husband. None of the tombs remain.
In many ways Anna d'Este represents a typical example of a female member of the aristocracy in the second half of the 16th century. Like many of her compeers she managed enormous estates, she arranged marriages and careers for her children and grandchildren, she looked after her clients at court, and she exchanged numerous letters with other members of the European aristocracy. The networks in which Anna d'Este moved were of great importance for her, above all her relationship with her mother and mother-in-law as well as with the queens, the queen-mother and the princesses of the kingdom.
With regard to the confessional disputes, the life of Anna d'Este does not differ much from those of other princesses of her times, either. Her mother was a Calvinist
, her father, husbands and sons were more or less radical Catholics. Although she didn't abjure Catholicism, Anna d'Este never gave away her "true" beliefs, and the sources tell us that she went to confession but also that she listened to sermons.
Therefore, it has to be supposed that for her, as well as for many of her contemporaries, family ties and networks were as important as confessional convictions, and that religious practices were frequently adapted to the requirements of the moment.
In other regards, however, Anna d'Este held a special position at the court of France, which can be seen from the numerous lawsuits she was involved in. Although the entanglement in legal proceedings even for minor causes was quite common for the French aristocracy of the early modern period, it was Anna d'Este and Renée de France who contested the king's right to Brittany
, and in doing so they referred to their positions as daughter and granddaughter of a French king.
In this as in other lawsuits Anna d'Este proceeded with such skill that she either won her trials or obliged the king and his judges to comply with compromises quite advantageous to the princess.
Siblings:
Children from the marriage with Francis, Duke of Guise
(1519–1563):
Children of the marriage with Jacques de Savoie
(1531–1585):
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
– 17 May 1607, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was an important princess with considerable influence at the court of France and a central figure in the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
. In her first marriage she was Duchess of Aumale, then of Guise
House of Guise
The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion.The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence...
, in her second marriage Duchess of Nemours
Duke of Nemours
In the 12th and 13th centuries the Lordship of Nemours, in the Gatinais, France, was in possession of the house of Villebeon, a member of which, Gautier, was marshal of France in the middle of the 13th century...
and Genevois
Genevois (province)
The Genevois is a former province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital is Annecy and other centres include Faverges, Thônes, and La Clusaz. It was bordered by the provinces of Carouge to the north-west, Faucigny to the north-east, and Savoy proper to the south-east and south-west.Although the...
.
Life
Anna d'Este was born on 16 November 1531, and was the oldest daughter of the Duke of Ferrara Ercole II d'EsteErcole II d'Este
Ercole II d'Este was Duke of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio from 1534 to 1559. He was a member of the house of Este and the eldest son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia....
and of Renée of France
Renée of France
Renée de France was the younger daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Her elder sister was Queen Claude of France. She was the Duchess of Ferrara due to her marriage to Ercole II d'Este, grandson of Pope Alexander VI...
. She grew up in Ferrara, where she received an excellent education. She also studied music, singing, dance, history and painting. The future writer and scholar Olympia Fulvia Morata
Olympia Fulvia Morata
Olimpia Fulvia Morata was an Italian classical scholar. She was born in Ferrara.Her father, who had been tutor to the young princes of the ducal house of Este, was on intimate terms with the most learned men of Italy, and the daughter grew up in an atmosphere of classical learning...
was chosen as one of her companions at court.
In 1548, after long and difficult negotiations, her marriage was arranged with the French prince Francis
Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis de Lorraine II, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Duke of Aumale , called Balafré , was a French soldier and politician.-Early life:...
, Duke of Aumale, son of the Duke of Guise. The contract was signed in Ferrara on 28 September and the marriage was held in Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris on 16 December. The princess was never to return to Italy.
Anna d'Este was the granddaughter of the French king Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
and therefore related to Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
and his sons. By her marriage she had become a member of the powerful Guise family, and because of her Italian roots she had especially close ties to the queen and later queen-mother, Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
.
For these reasons, her position at court was outstanding. Duchess of Guise after the death of her father-in-law in 1550, she governed the family estates and the enormous fortunes of the Guise with the help of her mother-in-law, Antoinette de Bourbon
Antoinette de Bourbon
Antoinette de Bourbon was a French noblewoman of the House of Bourbon. She was the wife of Claude de Lorraine, Duke of Guise...
. She was also active on behalf of her father and acted as mediator between the courts of France and of Ferrara. She gave birth to seven children, four of which reached adulthood.
Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis de Lorraine II, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Duke of Aumale , called Balafré , was a French soldier and politician.-Early life:...
was assassinated. While the murderer was seized and immediately put to death, Anna d'Este took all possible steps to sue the leader of the French Huguenots, Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny
Gaspard de Coligny , Seigneur de Châtillon, was a French nobleman and admiral, best remembered as a disciplined Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion.-Ancestry:...
, whom she held responsible for the assault.
During the next three years, the widow put pressure on the king and his courts of justice with her petitions, but in January 1566 the king's council declared the admiral of Coligny innocent and imposed eternal silence in the matter. Consequently, most of her contemporaries held the widow of the Duke of Guise responsible for the shot which was fired on Coligny on 22 August 1572 and which became the starting signal for the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, both directed against the Huguenots , during the French Wars of Religion...
.
Jacques de Savoie, 2nd Duc de Nemours
Jacques of Savoy, 2nd Duke of Nemours became Duke of Nemours in 1533.He distinguished himself at the sieges of Lens and Metz , at the battle of Renty and in the campaign of Piedmont ....
, Duke of Nemours and Genevois. Henceforth, the princess spent most of her time in Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
or on the road between her duchy of Genevois
Genevois (province)
The Genevois is a former province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital is Annecy and other centres include Faverges, Thônes, and La Clusaz. It was bordered by the provinces of Carouge to the north-west, Faucigny to the north-east, and Savoy proper to the south-east and south-west.Although the...
and the court of France. In politically difficult situations she acted as mediator between her husband and the Duke of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, and in the meantime she held her position at the court of France. Anna d'Este also promoted her sons' careers, she helped her clients to make their living, and she claimed a prominent place in official ceremonies at court.
After the death of her second husband in 1585 Anna d'Este lived in Paris, in her Hôtel
Hôtel particulier
In French contexts an hôtel particulier is an urban "private house" of a grand sort. Whereas an ordinary maison was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side and directly fronting on a street, an hôtel particulier was often free-standing, and by the 18th century it...
de Nemours, which was located on the left bank of the Seine in what is today Rue Séguier. With the formation of the Catholic League
Catholic League (French)
The Catholic League of France, sometimes referred to by contemporary Roman Catholics as the Holy League, a major player in the French Wars of Religion, was formed by Duke Henry of Guise in 1576...
, in which her sons played a prominent part, the importance of the Duchess for the political occurrences in the kingdom of France increased considerably.
In December 1588 Henry III
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
ordered the murder of her two oldest sons and the imprisonment of Anna d'Este. Although the sources tell us nothing about the deeds of the Duchess after her liberation, some contemporaries held her responsible for the assassination of the king. During the siege of Paris by Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, Anna d'Este was declared "queen-mother" by the League, but after the Bourbon's conversion back to Catholicism she recognized him as king and tried to convince her rebellious sons to take the same step. In 1594 Anna travelled to Paris to pay homage to Henry IV.
Anna d'Este spent her last years in the highly respectable position of "superintendante de la maison" of the queen Marie de' Medici
Marie de' Medici
Marie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
but also in growing indebtedness and in constant worry about the financial situation of her children and grandchildren.
When she died on 17 May 1607, the value of her movable goods came to little more than 4000 livre
French livre
The livre was the currency of France until 1795. Several different livres existed, some concurrently. The livre was the name of both units of account and coins.-Etymology:...
s. The entrails and the heart of the Duchess were interred in Paris and in Joinville while her body was brought to Annecy, where it was buried next to her second husband. None of the tombs remain.
Significance
With regard to the confessional disputes, the life of Anna d'Este does not differ much from those of other princesses of her times, either. Her mother was a Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, her father, husbands and sons were more or less radical Catholics. Although she didn't abjure Catholicism, Anna d'Este never gave away her "true" beliefs, and the sources tell us that she went to confession but also that she listened to sermons.
Therefore, it has to be supposed that for her, as well as for many of her contemporaries, family ties and networks were as important as confessional convictions, and that religious practices were frequently adapted to the requirements of the moment.
In other regards, however, Anna d'Este held a special position at the court of France, which can be seen from the numerous lawsuits she was involved in. Although the entanglement in legal proceedings even for minor causes was quite common for the French aristocracy of the early modern period, it was Anna d'Este and Renée de France who contested the king's right to Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and in doing so they referred to their positions as daughter and granddaughter of a French king.
In this as in other lawsuits Anna d'Este proceeded with such skill that she either won her trials or obliged the king and his judges to comply with compromises quite advantageous to the princess.
Family and Ancestry
Siblings:
- Alfonso IIAlfonso II, Duke of FerraraAlfonso II d'Este was duke of Ferrara from 1559 to 1597. He was a member of the house of Este.-Biography:...
, Duke of Ferrara (1533–1597) - LucreziaLucrezia d'Este*Lucrezia d'Este, born ca 1477. daughter of Ercole I d'Este. Married Annibale II Bentivoglio .*Lucrezia d'Este , daughter of Ercole II d'Este....
, Duchess of Urbino (1535–1598) - Leonora (1537–1581)
- LuigiLuigi d'EsteLuigi d'Este was an Italian Catholic cardinal, the second of the five children of Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Modena and Ferrara, and Renée, daughter of Louis XII of France.-Biography:...
, Cardinal of Este (1538–1586)
Children from the marriage with Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis de Lorraine II, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Duke of Aumale , called Balafré , was a French soldier and politician.-Early life:...
(1519–1563):
- HenryHenry I, Duke of GuiseHenry I, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Count of Eu , sometimes called Le Balafré, "the scarred", was the eldest son of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este...
, prince of Joinville, then Duke of Guise (1549–1588) - Catherine, Duchess of Montpensier (1551–1596), married Louis, Duke of Montpensier
- CharlesCharles of Lorraine, Duke of MayenneCharles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne , or Charles de Guise, was a French nobleman of the house of Guise and a military leader of the Catholic League, which he headed during the French Wars of Religion, following the assassination of his brothers at Blois in 1588...
, Marquis, then Duke of Mayenne (1554–1611) - LouisLouis II, Cardinal of GuiseLouis II, Cardinal of Guise was the third son of Francis, Duke of Guise and Anna d'Este. His maternal grandparents were Ercole d'Este II, Duke of Ferrara and Renée of France....
, archbishop of Reims, then Cardinal of Guise (1555–1588) - Antoine (1557–1560)
- François (1559–1573)
- Maximilien (1562–1567/68)
Children of the marriage with Jacques de Savoie
Jacques de Savoie, 2nd Duc de Nemours
Jacques of Savoy, 2nd Duke of Nemours became Duke of Nemours in 1533.He distinguished himself at the sieges of Lens and Metz , at the battle of Renty and in the campaign of Piedmont ....
(1531–1585):
- Charles EmmanuelCharles Emmanuel de Savoie, 3rd Duc de NemoursCharles Emmanuel de Savoie, 3rd Duc de Nemours was the son of Jacques of Savoy and Anne of Este, the widow of Francis, Duke of Guise. As a child he was known as the prince of Genevois...
, prince of Genevois, then Duke of Nemours (1567–1595) - Marguerite (1569–1572)
- HenryHenri de Savoie, 4th Duc de NemoursHenri of Savoy , called originally Marquis de Saint-Sorlin, was the son of Jacques of Savoy and Anna d'Este, the widow of François de Lorraine, Duke of Guise. He succeeded his brother Charles Emmanuel as Duke of Nemours....
, Marquis of Saint-Sorlin, then Duke of Nemours (1572–1632)
Sources
- Severin Bertrand: Oraison funebre sur le trespas de tres-haulte, tres-illustre et tres-vertueuse Princesse Anne d'Est', Duchesse de Chartres, de Guyse, Nemours, Genevois, &c. Paris 1607.
- Le sieur de La Palud: Discour funebre sur la mort de tres-Illustre Princesse Anne D'est Duchesse de Genevois, Nemours, Chartres, &c. Chambery (1609).
- Francesco Agostino della Chiesa: Theatro delle donne letterate, con vn breve discorso della preminenza, e perfettione del sesso donnesco, Mondovi 1620.
- Hilarion de Coste: Anne d'Est ou de Ferare, Duchesse de Guise & de Nemours. In: Id.: Les éloges et vies des reynes, princesses, dames et damoiselles illustres. Paris 1630, p. 32–37.
Further reading
- Christiane Coester: Schön wie Venus, mutig wie Mars. Anna d'Este, Herzogin von Guise und von Nemours (1531–1607). Oldenbourg, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-486-58028-0.
- Huguette Leloup: Anne d'Este (1531–1607). Fille aînée de Renée de France, Duchesse de Guise puis duchesse de Nemours, Dame de Montargis. Special issue of the Bulletin de la Société d'Émulation de l'Arrondissement de MontargisSociété d'émulationSociété d'émulation is a name given from the 18th century onwards to some learned societies of men in France and Wallonia wishing to study together in the arts, science and letters and often to publish the results of their reflections and their works in a bulletin, review or Acts. They were also...
. 3rd ser., 119, 2002. - Jessica Munns, Penny Richards: Exploiting and destabilizing Gender Roles: Anne d'Este. In: French History. Vol. 6, 1992, p. 206–215.
- Matteo Sanfilippo: article: Este, Anna d. In: Dizionario biografico degli Italiani. Vol. 43, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1993, p. 315–320.
External links
- Article on Anna d'Este on the webpage of the Société Internationale pour l’Étude des Femmes de l’Ancien Régime
- Post-mortem inventory of Anna d'Este on the webpage Cour-de-France.fr
- Account book of Anna d'Este of 1593 on the webpage Cour-de-France.fr